


(i like me better) when i’m with you

by flustraaa



Series: never judge a book by its cover [3]
Category: Shadowhunters (TV), The Shadowhunter Chronicles - Cassandra Clare
Genre: Alec Lightwood sleeps like a fricken rock, Comforting Magnus Bane, Deaf Alec Lightwood, Emotionally Hurt Alec Lightwood, Gen, Law Student Alec Lightwood, M/M, Musician Magnus Bane, Okay anyways, Protective Magnus Bane, Sleepy Alec Lightwood, Supportive Magnus Bane, magnus actually hates his job, pre fame Magnus bane
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-08
Updated: 2019-07-08
Packaged: 2020-06-24 10:12:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,969
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19721575
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/flustraaa/pseuds/flustraaa
Summary: if your friend says he needs you, be there for him.





	(i like me better) when i’m with you

Magnus is wandering aimlessly around New York, heading in the general direction of the subway that takes him home when his phone rings with a message from Alec. 

**are you at work?**

_ no, darling, why?  _

**i really need a friend right now.**

_ where are you?  _

**central park.**

_ i’ll be there.  _

Magnus quickens his pace down the street, even more so when he reaches the the park. Foliate eyes survey the green grass and falling leaves before landing on a head of black hair that peeks out from the trunk of a tree before him. 

_ Alexander,  _ Magnus’s brain supplies, helpfully for once. 

It takes him twenty three and a half strides  _ -not that he was counting or anything-  _ to reach the head of messy hair sitting at the base of the weeping willow. 

He stands at Alec’s side, eyebrows furrowing in concern as he sees the blank stare that the raven-haired boy holds. 

“Alexander?” He wants to kick himself for forgetting that the young man can’t hear him. 

Slowly, he crouches down, reaching out to press two fingers to Alec’s shoulder, immediately spurring a reaction from Alec. Cerulean eyes flicker to Magnus, clearly startled. 

_ He wasn’t ignoring you _ , Magnus thinks candidly,  _ he didn’t even see you come up.  _

Alec brings up his hand to give a half hearted wave— _ adorable— _ before Magnus registers the blotchy complexion of Alec’s porcelain skin. 

Slowly, Alec flips open his notebook, writing--rather quickly if Magnus does say so himself--prior to turning the calligraphic writing towards him.

**Thank you.**

Magnus nods, gesturing for Alec to shuffle over, before sitting beside him. 

“What happened?” Magnus asks slowly, ensuring he pronounces his syllables slow enough for Alec’s no doubt racing mind. 

Alec takes a deep breath, prelimanary to taking the pen and notepad delicately with his fingertips. He twirls the pen, once, twice, three times before he begins to write and this time the handwriting suffers--though it’s hardly sloppy. Alec doesn’t take the time to write in neat print, instead writing quickly in spidery, yet beautiful, cursive. 

After a long moment, he places the notebook in Magnus’s lap. 

**A kid in my mock trial—Preston—no one was aware I’m deaf until he got heated and started talking faster. I asked him to repeat it and--**

Magnus glances up from the notebook to look at Alec. His gaze has reverted back to staring at the ducks that float across the pond, lip between his teeth and hand pressed against his ribcage.

— **he figured out that if he talked fast or slow enough or slightly disfigured the words I couldn’t understand him. So he abused the knowledge and I couldn’t put together a coherent rebuttal. Everyone on my team was kind about it but I... I just feel like I failed them.**

Magnus turns back to Alec, but this time Alec is looking right at him. 

“This  _ isn’t _ your fault, darling,” Magnus says gently, squeezing Alec’s hand reassuringly.

Alec nods, eyes moving from Magnus lips back up to his eyes before taking the pen and scrawling more words across the lines page. 

**I know- logically at least- I** **just** —he scratches out the previous word— **don’t wanna be alone right now.**

“Then you won’t be,” Magnus nods reassuringly, as Alec crosses his legs beneath them. 

His eyes return to the pond and Magnus watches his facial expression. His face is impassive but there’s a million emotions behind his eyes. Magnus is overcome with the urge to solve the enigma that is Alec Lightwood.

There’s so many questions he wants to ask Alec, so many stories he wants to be told, but he remains silent. Magnus takes a moment to enjoy the feeling of ignorance for the future. He follows the younger man’s gaze to the pair of ducks that swim in the middle of the pond, dipping in and out in search of their next meal. 

After a few long minutes pass, the sun peeks out from behind the clouds and Alec releases a heavy sigh. Glancing over, Magnus watches Alec’s shoulders slump for the first time since they’ve met, like he’s finally allowing himself to  _ breathe _ . His eyes are closed, dark lashes fluttering over his cheek bones. Slowly, he blinks them back open and meets Magnus gaze. 

“Are you okay?” Magnus actuates his words in a clear manner and he receives a gentle nod in response. 

Alec maintains eye contact, though he blinks blearily as it continues. Magnus sends him a half smile, prior to turning back to the pond and closing his own eyes in the October sun. 

A thought hits him like a freight train sometime later. For the first time today--no, the first time in a  _ year,  _ he isn’t worrying every waking second about his rent, or his mother, or his student loans, or where and what his next meal will be. 

His eyes flutter open at the thought, moving to thank Alec for this moment of peace only to be stopped by a gentle weight on his shoulder. 

As slowly as possible, Magnus turns to see Alec’s head rested precariously on his shoulder, threatening to slip down to his lap at any moment. 

His face holds the same expression- or lack there of as it did the day Magnus saw him lying on the kiddie mattress in the first week of September. 

Even breaths leave his parted lips and he sinks further into Magnus, body quickly becoming a deadweight—  _ not that Magnus minds _ —  _ thank you once again  _ unhelpful _ brain.  _

He places a hand on Alec’s shoulder, shaking him gently. The boy doesn’t so much as twitch, and Magnus shoves him a little harder. 

This of course-  _ thanks to his good old friend God _ \- only results in Alec’s head slipping down his chest to land on Magnus’s lap. 

And now that Magnus has a view of the dark circles that bruise the skin beneath Alec’s eyes, he halts his movements completely. 

He doesn’t even know how one would go about this situation. And so, like any sane person, he calls Isabelle. She picks up on the second ring, like a true heroin. 

“Magnus?” she asks, a confused tone accompanying her words. “What’s up?” 

“Hello, dear,” he murmurs. “It would appear that we have a  _ minor _ Alec situation.” 

There’s shuffling on the other line, the voices in the back fading with the sound of a door closing. 

“What’s wrong with Alec?” Now concern and unadulterated worry has coated her voice like honey. 

“It appears that I can’t wake him up,” he whispers, shaking Alec’s shoulder again, in advance to letting out a chuckle. 

“Did something happen?” There’s a fear in her voice that tells Magnus this isn’t the first time she’s gotten a call that’s ended with Alec in a poor situation. His eyes flutter to the scars on Alec’s chin and eyebrow. 

“No, no, darling, it’s nothing like that. He’s just fallen asleep at the park—though he seems to be— well, frankly dead.” Magnus drops his hand from Alec’s shoulder, moving to brush the hair from the young man’s eyes. 

To his fond exasperation, Alec nuzzles up to press his face into Magnus hand—and it’s then that Magnus realizes Isabelle is calling his name. 

“Magnus? Shit--Magnus did something--” 

“Darling,  _ no _ . He’s fine, he looks absolutely  _ exhausted _ but—” 

“How close are you- apartment wise- to Central Park?” 

“My apartment is about fourteen—” Magnus isn’t able to finish his sentence. 

“Okay, you’re closer than his dorm—and we’re caught up in an event for the Dean—I’m going to send our limo—”she's interrupted by Magnus’ choking noise. 

“Your  _ what _ ?” he squeaks. “Please tell me you don’t actually have—“ 

“Our parents are very wealthy, Magnus,” she sighs. “Horrible parents, but very,  _ very _ wealthy. Now listen!” 

Magnus does as he’s told, following through. He rouses Alec to walk—more like hang limply—with him previous to getting in the limousine. 

It takes only few moments for Alexander to drape himself across Magnus like a drunken, touch starved koala— and despite himself Magnus finds himself combing his fingers through Alec’s messy locks of hair. 

The driver is a man named Andrew— who tells him gruffly fifteen minutes later that he’s reached Magnus’s apartment complex prior to helping him passed Gabriel— Magnus doorman and good friend— and up the elevator.

Once they enters his apartment, they shuffle through to the bed, laying Alec down who immediately falls back asleep. 

After the commotion settles, Magnus sits on the side of the bed by Alec’s feet. He gently reaches over, unlacing his dress shoes, slipping them off, and setting them at the floor by the door. He sends a quick text to Isabelle and sighs at the knock on the door. 

Andrew stands there, holding Alec’s crumpled up suit in his hands, bidding Magnus farewell shortly after.

Magnus lets out a heavy sigh, walking over to the coat rack, hanging up Alec’s suit jacket and then walking to the bed. He kneels down, pulling out the small wicker basket from his mother that contains extra bed sheets prior to laying them on the floor. 

After an extra laborious shower and skin care routine, Magnus shuffles over to the blanketed spot on the floor, laying down and covering himself up. 

He spares a brief glance at Alec, who now lays face down on the bed, a gangly arm dangling from the end. A smile manages to worm its way into Magnus’ face and only then does he let his eyes fall closed. 

There’s a sudden pain in Magnus’ ribs, followed by a heavy thump and moan of pain. 

Once Magnus registers there’s a person in his apartment his eyes open to come face to face with a wide eyed Alec Lightwood. 

“Good morning to you too, you heavy ass sleeper,” Magnus drawls. Alec’s cheeks heat up with an adorable blush at the words which send he looking for his notebook. 

“Here, pull a Helen Keller,” Magnus suggests, haphazardly throwing out an arm. Alec rolls his eyes, spelling out five letters on Magnus limb: 

**s o r r y**

Magnus opens his eyes, glancing up at Alec who looks more sheepish and bashful than anything. “For what darling?” Magnus asks, brows furrowing in concern. 

**f e l l a s l e e p.**

“It’s clear you needed it. I tried to wake you more than once.” As endearingly as it was predictable, Alec’s face turns a deeper red. “What woke you up at this god forsaken hour anyways?” 

**b a t h r o o m?**

“Behind you. Soap’s under the sink.

**T h a n k y o u**

“Anytime darling,” Magnus mumbles. Alec rises to his feet, turning to use the restroom. Alec disappears behind the door Magnus lets sleep take him once more. 

And when he wakes, this time to an alarm clock, he finds a sticky note taped to a takeout box beside him. 

**(1) You were asleep when I came back out, Gabriel** **_(he kinda looks like me, little freaky. sincerely hope you don’t have a type)_ ** **let me back in with breakfast. I had to get to class or I would’ve waited—**

Magnus pulls the second sticky note from the side of the bag. 

**(2) You’re sleeping still as I’m writing this, but you told me your favourite food when you were drunk, so this is my thank you for not leaving—**

Magnus glances around, flipping the back to find a third sticky note on the back side, he flips it open with one hand before reading on. 

**(3) me dead asleep and vulnerable in that park. Sorry I tripped over you, and make sure you text me soon ~ alec**

And if Magnus tapped those notes to his desk at work a few hours later, no one had to know. 


End file.
